Lorentz-loaded Firefox 3.6.4 hits third beta stage

Second Thunderbird 3.1 test build also released

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Mozilla sped out a third beta of Firefox 3.6.4 on Tuesday less than two weeks after releasing the first test build of its latest browser update.

Firefox 3.6.4 beta 3 comes loaded mostly with bug fixes connected to OOPPs (out-of-process plugins), with more than 10 patches marked as critical by the open source browser maker.

Mozilla pushed out Firefox 3.6.4 late last month when it also debuted its "Lorentz" project, which it hopes will stabilise browsing for Windows and Linux users when Adobe's Flash, Apple's Quicktime and Microsoft's Silverlight plugins go tits-up during a surfing session.

Testing the frequency of crashes in Firefox 3.6.4 and isolating them is key to the success of this iteration of Mozilla's popular browser, so it's no surprise to see the outfit shove a third beta out the door in quick succession.

A final version of Firefox 3.6.4 is expected to fly out the door by the middle of May.

Separately, Mozilla also released a second beta of its mail client, Thunderbird 3.1, yesterday for Windows, Mac and Linux machines.

A completed version of Thunderbird 3.1, codenamed Lanikai, is expected to land in June. Tweaks to the latest build include tab usage, auto-complete and activity manager changes. Mozilla has the full rundown here. ®